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Residents praise police leadership, call for accountability and back library outreach at League City meeting
Summary
Multiple residents praised Chief Ortena and the police department while calling for accountability for former council member Justin Hicks; speakers also urged approval of a Texas Book Festival library grant and promoted upcoming library and veterans events.
Public comment at the March 11 League City City Council meeting focused on law-enforcement integrity, accountability for a former council member and support for library outreach programs.
A resident who identified herself as Marie opened public comments by thanking Chief Ortena for his leadership and saying citizens deserve leaders who prioritize community welfare. Marie also criticized Justin Hicks' actions and asked the mayor to require that campaign signs be held until an election date is formally announced.
Jeannie Abansalahe, who gave a street address and identified her remarks to item 6C, described the Texas Book Festival Library Grant application for Helen Hall Library. She said the grant would fund a start-up collection for outreach and a mobile library service to expand the library's presence in senior living facilities and at community events; she cited an upcoming "Books and More" event on March 25 and asked for the council's support for the grant application.
Other commenters echoed support for Chief Ortena and for library outreach. Luisa Perez Lozano and Peggy Zayler thanked the mayor and council for actions related to accountability and again urged support for library programs. Laszlo Nergish, representing the American Legion, invited the public and council to a Vietnam veterans event March 29 at the American Legion post on Highway 3. Several speakers noted gratitude to a Police Department records-office employee and to the chief for following protocol in a personnel matter.
Council members addressed the public-comments themes during council reports. Mayor Nick Long and multiple councilmembers said they had reviewed available information and emphasized due process; one councilmember reiterated the presumption of innocence pending review of evidence. Councilmembers Chad Tressler, Gordon Chadwell and others publicly thanked the police department and said the situation had been difficult for staff but that they were pleased the department followed established procedures.
Background and context: Speakers linked law-enforcement and personnel issues to a recent resignation by a city official (referred to in public comments as Justin Hicks). Several residents urged the council to refocus on infrastructure, safety and services such as library outreach rather than culture-war topics. Jeannie Abansalahe described program details for the library grant application, including plans for mobile service, story time at 10:30 a.m. on March 25 and an event schedule running approximately 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Outlook: The Texas Book Festival library grant application was handled in the meeting's consent agenda and approved as part of items 6A'M; library organizers and advocates said they expect to use the grant to expand outreach. Councilmembers indicated they would not take immediate disciplinary action beyond previously announced measures and that any further steps would follow review of evidence and established procedures.
